griffith



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) N H. G. GRIFFITH.

SIGNAL LANTERN. No. 449,736. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

(N0 Model.) I 2 Sheets-Shet 2,

H. G. GRIFFITH.

SIGNAL LANTERN.

No. 449,736. Patented Apr. 7, 1.891.

ILFIESSESI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIUMPHREY G. GRIFFITH, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SIGNAL-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,736, dated April 7,1891.

Application filed November 13, 1889. Serial No. 380,180. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUMPHREY G. GRIFFITH, of Indianapolis, in the countyof Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Signal-Lanterns; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in signal-lanterns, and which isintended as an improvement upon my patent of August 6, 1880, No.408,614; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of partswhich will be more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointedout in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to produce a signal-lantern which is soconstructed that a revolving shutter placed within the lantern can berevolved by either a pressure of the hand upon the handles or the bails,and by which it is carried around, and thus either allow the light topass through the lens or window or to shut it out at will; to make thecenter of the lantern-case and revolving shutter spherical, or nearlyso, in shape, whereby the shutter is supported within the case andadapted to be easily revolved independent of any other means for doingso; to so construct the bottom of the case that it will receive either alamp or a candle, and so construct the mechanism connected to thehandles and bails for operating the shutter that one can be operatedindependent of the other.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a lantern which embodies myinventioncomplete. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is arear elevation. Fig. 4 is a detached side view I of the lower portion ofthe case in which the the lantern, showing the bails raised upward. Fig.9 is a detached side elevation of the bails, the gear-wheel journaledupon the top of the case, and the bearings therefor. Fig. 10 is a topplan view of the lantern, showing a slightly-modified form of the mannerof attaching the bails to the case. Fig. 11 is an edge view of theconnecting-lever, showing the spring and the pivotal pin connectedthereto. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the shutter. Fig. 13 is adetached view of the inner upper end of the operating-handle 1, showinga modification in construction from that shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5.

A represents the body and central portion of the lantern, which ispreferably spherical, or nearly so, in shape, as shown, and in which therevolving shutter B is supported, and which corresponds in shape to theshape of the interior of the case A.

C is the chimney, that is secured to the upper portion of the case A,and D is the lamp chamber or case, which is secured to the lower end ofthe body A. Secured to the top of the chimney is the conical cap F, anddirectly over this are supported one or more cowls E.

G is the lens or window frame, which is secured to the front of the caseAand to which is hinged the door H, in whichthe lens I is secured in anysuitable manner, and to the door II upon the opposite side fromthe hingeis an ordinary latch J, by means of which the door is fastened.

I preferably, thougl'i not necessarily, place the lamp K within a caseL, which is slipped up through the open bottom of the lamp chamber orcase D. Formed in the center of this lamp-case L and extending upward asuitable distance is the annular flange or ring M.

Secured within the opening which is formed by the annular flange or ringM is a spring N, which bulges inward a suitable distance, as shown. Thisopening is formed for the purpose of adapting thelantern to receiveacandle, which is held therein by the spring N.

While I show a separate case for the lamp and that provided with anopening to receive a candle, it will be readily understood that thebottom of the case D may be closed and its closed end provided with anopening having a spring for retaining a candle and in which event thelamp will be placed in the case A through the door H.

The wall of the chamber D is provided with ICO the bayonet-slots O, asshown in Fig. l, in which the bevel-ended projections I pass and whichenter perforations made in the ends of the springs Q, that are securedto the outer side of the case D, and by means of which the lamp issecured within the case in the ordinary manner. \Vhere anupwardly-projecting flange M is used, it is necessary to provide thelamp with an opening It, into which this flange extends, as shown inFig. 7.

Extending out from the back of the case A and secured thereto is theclosed frame (t, which has its lower end open for the passage of air tothe lamp for combustion through the openings S, made in the case A, asshown.

Secured t0 the frame a is a shield T, which has closed sides and top,but an open bot tom, through which air passes to the apertures S.

U indicates a collar, which fits in the upper end of the case D and towhich the lower end of the shutter B is secured. The upper end of theshutter is secured to the collar V,whieh is provided with arms Q'havinga central opening, and secured to the inner side of the chimney C, justabove the collar V, are the arms X, also having a central perforation,and through these perforations passes a pivotal belt or rivet Y.

The shutter B is provided with an opening Z through its side, which isbrought in and out of register with the lens I by means of a mechanismhereinafter described.

Fastened to the upper and lower right-hand corners of the frame are thebearings A, in which is journaled the spring-actuated operating-shaft B.The upper end of this shaft extends through its bearing a suitabledistance and has rigidly secured thereto at its upper end the lever G.Loosely jointed to the opposite and inner end of this lever is a curvedconnecting-bar D, and the opposite end of this connecting-bar is looselyjointed in the slotted end of the pin E, which is rigidly secured to thecollar Vat the upper end of the shutter and extends through a slot F,made in the chimney 0. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.)

Rigidly secured to the shaft B near its upper and lower ends are thearms G, which are engaged by the inner end of the levers II, that areloosely placed upon the shaft so as to revolve independent of it, andtheir outer ends engaged by the operating-handle I, which also revolvesupon the shaft inclependent of i Instead, however, of having the levers0, they may be omitted and the inner ends of the operating-handle Iturned upwardly and downwardly, respectively, and made to engage thearms G, as shown in the detached Fig. 13; and while I show the pin Esecured to the upper collar V and the lever O secured to the upper endof the shaft 13 it will be readily understood that the pin can as wellbe secured to the lower collar, or to the shutter at any other desirablepoint, and the lever C secured to the shaft at a correspending point,leaving in each case the mechanism exactly as it now is.

Surrounding the shaft B is the spiral spring J, which has one end turnedinward from the shaft and either resting against the case A or securedthereto in any manner, and has its other end secured to or passingthrough the upper lever II; or it may rest against the operating-handleI. This spring keeps the handle 1 and the lever C normally in theirrespective positions (shown in Fig. 2) and the shutter B normally in theposition shown in Fig. 1, with the opening Z out of line with the lensI, thus keeping the light from passin g through the lens.

Secured to the case A, just back of the upper and lower left-hand edges,respectively, of the frame a, are the bearings L, in which the ends ofthe handle M are journaled. By placing the bearings as here shown itwill be seen that the handle is limited in its inward movement by comingin contact with the edge of the frame. \Vhen the operatinghandle isdrawn inward by a pressure of the hand in which both it and the handle Mare grasped, the handle I, lever G, and connecting-rod D are broughtintothe position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, which partially revolvesthe shutter B, causes the opening in the shutter to register with thelens, and the light is allowed to pass out through it.

In order to adjust my lantern to be carried and operated by bailsattached to its top, as well as by the handles, I secure to the upperend of the shaft B, just above the lever G, a bevel gear-wheel N, withwhich the bevelgear 0, secured to a shaft P, which is secured in abearing Q, that is fastened to the casing, as shown, engages. This gear0 is provided with a pin or projection R, which forms a stop, againstwhich the operatingbail S bears when it is brought toward the center ofcase, but which allows the bail to drop down without operating the gear.

journaled upon the shaft P, while its outer end is either journaledbetween the same ears as the adjacent end of the bail T, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, or in a separate pair of cars, as shown in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 10 the bail T is straight across the top of the case, so thatthe lantern will be balanced and hang straight; but it maybe journaledas shown in the other figures. In Fig. 10 the operating-shaft is on theopposite side of the frame a from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9,and which make it adapted to be used by the left hand; butit will bereadily seen and understood that it maybe placed on either side, and thelantern thus adapted for either the right or left hand.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the bails are shown closed. The bail T has only alimited movement by having its ends turned, as shown, so as to engagethe top of the case; or it may be limited by abutting against aprojection upon the ears, as shown in Fig. 8. By this construction whenthe lantern is being carried by the bails the operating-bail S is incontact with the projection R upon the gear 0, so that by a pressure ofthe hand the bail S is brought nearer to the bail T which has onlyalimited inward movement. The gear 0, turned, which engages the gear N,partially revolves the shaft and the shutter, whereby the opening in theshutter is made to register with the lens.

\Vhile I here show the upper collarpivoted to the arms X, this neednotbe so, for since the shutter conforms to the inner spherical shape ofthe lantern-case it will be supported therein,and readily revolvesWithout any such arrangement. By making the shutter spherical in shapethat portion of its inner surface opposite the openingwill be polishedor brightened in any desired manner, thus forming a good reflector andone of the proper shape to concentrate the rays of light and make themstronger.

U indicates a belt-hook, which is secured at its upper end to the framea and extends downward, as shown, to near the lower end of the case, andwhich is hooked over the belt and held in place thereon by the catch V,which rests upon the lower edge of the belt when it is between the hookand the frame.

The curved connecting-rod D is provided at its inner end adjacent to theslotted pin E with the spring 2', which carries at its outer and freeend a pivotal pin that passes through the apertures made in the innerend of the connecting-rod and the slotted outer end of the shutter-pin.By this means the outer end of the connecting-rod can be readily andquickly detached from the shutter-pin, so that the shutter can beoperated by the pin alone without the intervention of the mechanismwhich is attached to the handles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a signal-lantern, thecombination of a spherical case adapted to receive a lamp at its bottom,having an opening in its side for the passage of light and aslotin thechimney, arevolving shutter placed thereln, having an opening for thepassage of light, a pin secured thereto projecting through the slot, anoperating-shaft journaled to the rear of the case. a lever secured toits upper end, a rod connecting the inner free end of the lever and thesaid pin, and ahandle journaled upon the shaft and which revolves theshaft, thus causing the shutter to partially turn, substantially asshown and described.

2. In a signal-lantern, the combination of the spherical case adapted toreceive a lamp having an opening for the passage of light and a slot, arevolving shutter placed therein, having an opening for the passage oflight,

. the pin secured thereto which extends through the slot, a shaftjournaled to the rear side of the case, having a lever rigidly securedthereto at its upper end, a connection between the free end of saidlever and the said pin, an arm secured to the shaft, and anoperatinghandle journaled upon said shaft, having its end turned so asto engage with said arm upon the shaft and cause it to turn when thehandle is operated, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the case having an opening for the passage oflight and a slot, a revolving shutter placed therein, having an openingfor the light, a shaft journaled to the case, a lever rigidly attachedthereto, a rod connecting the lever and shutter, a handle journaled uponthe shaft, having a limited movement independent of the shaft, so as tocause it to turn, anda spring for returning the shaft to position,substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the case having an opening for the passage oflight and a slot, a revolving shutter journaled therein, having anopening for the passage of light, a shaft journaled on the case, a leverrigidly connected therewith at one end and connected at its opposite endby means of a connecting-rod to the shutter through the slot, an armrigidly attached to the shaft, a handle j ournaled upon the shaft, and alever turning upon the shaft, having one end to engage the said arm andits opposite end engaging the handle,whereby the handle is allowed onlya limited movement independent of the shaft for the purpose of partiallyrevolving it and operating the shutter, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the case having an opening for the passage oflight and a slot, a revolving shutter having an opening for the passageof light, a shaft journaled to the case, a lever rigidly attachedthereto at one end and being connected by a rod through the said slot tothe shutter, a handle journaled upon the shaft, having only a limitedmovement independent of the shaft, a vertical frame secured to the rearside of the case, and a second handle journaled upon the case andengaging the said frame outside of its bearings, whereby it is limitedin movement, so that when the two are tightly grasped theoperating-handle is turned, for the purpose described.

6. In a-signal-lantern,' the combination of the case having an openingfor the passage of light and a slot, a revolving shutter journaledtherein, having an opening for the light, a vertical shaft journaled tothe case, a lever rigidly attached thereto at one end and connected atits opposite end by a connectingrod to the shutter through the saidslot, a gear upon the upper end of said vertical shaft, a bail pivotedto the top of the case, anda gear which engages the gear upon the shaftand which is partially turned by the bail for revolving the shaft andoperating the shutter, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the case having an opening for the light and aslot, a revolving shutter journaled therein, having an opening for thelight, a vertical operating-shaft journaled to the case, a leverconnected to the said shaft, a rod connected to the lever and theshutter through the said slot, a gear upon the upper end of the shaft, asecond gear journaled on the case, having a projection and engaging saidgear upon the shaft, and a bail pivoted to the case, which engages thesaid projection upon the gear for the purpose of revolving it,substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

8. The etimbination, with a lantern having a lamp-containing case, of alamp-case adapted to be detachably secured in the bottom of 15 saidlantern, having an aperture provided with an upwardly-extending wall forthe reception of a candle, and a lamp placed in the lamp-case, providedwith a central opening to receive the said vertical Wall, substantially20 ,as shown and described.

M. H. DANIELS, L. N. PERRY.

